Building Excellence

Project Description

Client: BMF (Builders Merchants Federation)

To help strengthen commercial development and move the organisation into a new phase of growth, The Builders Merchants Federation appointed CMDi in 2017 as long-term brand strategy partners.

The organisation has bold plans and by 2020 aims to be regarded as the leading trade association in the building materials industry for merchants and suppliers. The BMF also set itself a target of adding almost 150 new members, increasing total membership from the current figure of 655 to 800.

Success will see BMF members excel at providing materials and services and the BMF itself representing 90% of the merchant sector and successfully promoting the sector’s vital contribution to UK economic growth.

CMDi has been tasked to manage the 3 year programme involving the initial brand revitalisation strategy, which included a detailed brand review, member research, member and staff collaboration workshops, re-positioning and relaunch plan. Outcomes included an updated strategic roadmap, positioning, purpose and mission statements, with a coherent 7 point strategy to move the BMF from important to essential.

The strategy is supported by a new strapline and design look to support the organisation’s vision: Building Excellence in materials supply.

The BMF unveiled its plans for the next three years at its Members Day Conference, September 2018, promising to help members to build excellence into every aspect of their business. Research has confirmed that 77% of merchant and 95% of supplier members agree that the new value based strategy fulfils the role they want the BMF to play for them.

CMDi are now working closely with the BMF on the next phase of the 3 year strategy, with a strategic segmentation programme. The result will see the BMF extend its widely respected training and business services, and recharge its youth recruitment campaign to help the Federation’s diverse membership gain, and retain, business advantage at a time when the challenges facing the industry have never been greater. The BMF will also increase its political campaigning, focusing on priority issues identified by its membership.

BMF CEO John Newcomb says:
“Our mission for the next three years is to help members to excel at providing materials and services for building a better future. This is evolution rather than revolution, but our new strategy encompasses a bold vision. It represents a move away from just being the glue that sticks a diverse and sometimes fragmented industry together, to a role of greater leadership as the backbone of the industry standing up for members’ interests in the political arena.”

“Just as importantly, we will be building on our successful training and business service offers to deliver even better value to our different member groups, by providing individual companies with a personalised service package tailored to their specific needs.”

The next phase of the programme will be implemented throughout 2019 and beyond. 77% of merchant and 95% of supplier members agree that the new strategy fulfils the role they want the BMF to play for them.

CMDi have allowed us to focus on key strategic issues and have provided us with a clear focus for the future. We are working together closely to move the BMF into the next phase of its transformation.